A new label looks set to inject some serious attitude into children's denim.
Havoc Denim is the creation of Linstel D'mello, who set about creating a premium label for kids aged three to 14-years-old after identifying a gap in the market.
"After 16 years in the industry as a buyer and designer, much of the time in childrenswear, I noticed a real lack of good quality denim for children," she said.
Featuring around 15 styles for boys and 10 for girls, the initial Havoc collection was divided into two sub-ranges: with basics including skinny, straight and slouch styles available on replenishment throughout the year, and a fashion range released seasonally. Prices for basics started at $70 and ranged from $79 to $100 for fashion styles. While positioned at the high end of the market, the brand offered quality and value for money, D'mello said.
"The factories in India that I'm working with also work with labels like G-Star, so they really understand what denim is about," she confirmed, adding her strategy was to concentrate solely on denim.
"I'm very wary of just launching yet another kidswear label. You really have to be niche to survive in the long term. I wanted to focus on one category and do it really well."
With every Havoc garment pre-washed and quality tested, the brand was guaranteed to be both "cool" and comfortable. It was also designed to look better with age, so it could be handed down to siblings or friends, she said.
Steering clear of the saturated "pretty and cute" kidswear category, D'mello said the misfortune of a child models' broken arm had proved a happy accident during Havoc's first ever campaign shoot.
"It happened just days before the shoot and I was really panicking until the photographer realised we could work with the plaster to carry through the graffiti theme."
Hitting stores mid-May, Havoc had secured 10 Melbourne stockists and was in negotiations with a major department store at the time of writing. Summer 2009/10 would see the brand focus on the Sydney and Perth markets, D'mello confirmed.